


Bittersweet Reunion

by sinjinh1



Series: Bittersweet [1]
Category: The Professionals, The Sentinel
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major Character Death before story starts, Pre-Slash, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2014-08-03
Packaged: 2018-02-10 16:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2031222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinjinh1/pseuds/sinjinh1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim takes Blair to see his old Art Professor after the events in Peru and Alex Barnes.  What exactly is Ray Doyle doing in Cascade, Washington teaching Art at Rainer University?</p><p>Warning: Not a British citizen so some things may seem wrong.  Also, not a medical expert.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

He stood on the porch of his cabin and gazed at the scenery. He had picked this spot for the peace and quiet it provided. He had to admit, the view was nothing to sneeze at. He had come to Cascade, Washington in 1985, shortly after his fortieth birthday. Cascade was a lifetime and a few thousand miles from his old life.

He was an artist now. Not famous, but respected. In his corner of the world, he was admired and respected. He even taught classes at Rainer University. It was there that he had met his guest for the week. Blair Sandburg had taken a couple of classes from him over the years. After the younger man became a graduate student, they became friends and colleagues. Now Blair needed time away from the city to recover from a near death experience. He didn’t know all the details, and he wasn’t going to push. He knew that he would find out what had happened when Blair was ready to tell him.

He looked up when he heard a vehicle approach. He had expected Blair to come in his old Volvo, not a pick-up truck. The truck stopped and Blair exited from the passenger side. From the driver’s side emerged a man who reminded him of someone he used to know. The man had a military bearing about him. He was taller than Blair, probably about 6’1” or 6’2”. He had a buzz cut. What really struck him was that this military man seemed extremely protective of Blair.

Blair looked at the two men and smiled at his host. “Ray, this is Jim Ellison. Jim, I’d like you to meet Ray Doyle.”

Ray relaxed when he realized this was the detective Blair had been working with. “Nice to meet you, Jim. Blair’s told me a lot about you.”

“Wish I could say the same,” Jim said as he shook the older man’s hand. “Sandburg is always trying to get me to open up and yet…”

Ray just laughed. “Ah yes. He does the same thing to me. Let’s go inside. I’ll put the kettle on and we can have lunch. Jim, you can ask all of your questions while we eat.”

Jim just looked at him for a minute then he looked at Blair. Blair just smiled and followed Ray into the house. Jim grabbed the stuff out of the truck then went into the house. He found Ray and Blair in the kitchen. He stopped at the doorway and observed the older man. He was taller than Blair, around 5’9” or 5’10”. His hair came down to his shoulders, and had a slight curl to it. His beard was peppered with grey. He was dressed in a grey sweater and jeans. He almost reminded Jim of an older Blair.

Blair turned around and smiled at Jim. “Have a seat, Man.”

Jim took a seat at the kitchen table as Blair and Ray put lunch on the table. They sat down and Ray looked at Jim. “Ask your first question.”

“When did you leave England?”

“1985.”

“Why did you come here?”

“Job burnout,” Ray said as Blair gave him a little look. “I needed a change of pace. Cascade seemed like the perfect place. I came here, bought this place, and eventually found my way to Rainer”

Blair looked at the two older men. “Ray, are the fish biting?”

Ray smiled at Blair. “Yes, Blair. We can go fishing after lunch.”

“Not me,” Jim said as he stood up. “I have to get back to the station. I have to finish a few things, but I’ll be back tonight.”

“We’ll make sure we have dinner ready for you,” Blair said as he walked Jim to the door. He looked back at Ray, who was clearing up the lunch dishes. “I know what you’re going to do when you get back to the station. Ray’s a good guy, Jim.”

“I believe you, Chief,” Jim said as he smiled at his friend. “Maybe I’m just a little overprotective right now.”

Blair looked at him and nodded. He watched Jim head for the truck before he went to join Ray in the kitchen. “He’s allowed to check me out, Blair,” Ray said as he sat down at the table. “If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be a very good detective. I know you aren’t ready to talk to me about what happened to you. Jim is checking me out because of that.”

Blair sighed. “I guess you’re right. It’s just sometimes he gets a little overprotective. Do you know what I mean?”

Ray gazed out the window. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

Blair knew not to ask Ray what that meant. He had seen that look on Ray’s face before. He knew that Ray had left someone behind in England, but he didn’t know who. He knew part of why Ray had left. It was more than job burnout. “Let’s go fishing,” he said as Ray looked at him and smiled.

“I’ll get the poles.”

 

Jim arrived back at the station and headed up to the bullpen. He had thought about Ray Doyle the entire way back to Cascade. He didn’t know what it was about the older man that had alerted his radar. He didn’t feel uneasy around Ray. If he had, he never would have left Blair alone with the guy. He knew Ray had lied about job burnout. He went to his computer and started a search on Ray Doyle.

 

In the computer center of a non-descript building in London, a beeping noise alerted the staff. It was the start of the night shift and there were very few people in the building. A man walked over to the beeping computer and looked at the screen. He looked over at his colleague. “You better go see if one of the bosses is still here. They’ll want to see this.”


	2. Chapter 2

Ray and Blair walked back into the cabin laughing and soaking wet. It had started raining about an hour after they had started fishing. By the time they got back to the cabin, it was pouring. “You best get out of those wet clothes,” Ray said as he took the fish they had managed to catch to the kitchen. “I don’t think Jim would be too pleased with me if I let you catch pneumonia.”

“Probably not,” Blair laughed. Then he started to cough. Ray didn’t think anything about the cough until it didn’t stop and he saw Blair hanging onto the back of the couch for support.

He rushed over to the younger man. “Blair!”

“Backpack,” Blair managed to get out.

Ray rushed over to the backpack and started rummaging through it until he found an inhaler. He handed it to Blair. Blair took a couple of puffs before the coughing stopped. Ray looked at him. “Get out of those wet clothes. Then I think you better tell me what’s going on.”

Blair nodded. Thirty minutes later, he had told Ray everything about Alex Barnes, only leaving out the part about her being a Sentinel.

“Let me get this straight,” Ray said as he got up and started to pace. “This woman tried to kill you and instead of staying in the hospital where you belonged, you went after her?”

“Pretty much,” Blair said as Ray gave him a look. “I know it wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had. I had to go, Ray. Jim needed my help.”

“Jim’s a trained police officer!” Ray said as he started to pace again. “He should have sent you back home. He should have never let you go traipsing through the jungle.”

Blair got up and stood in front of Ray. “It was my choice to go after Jim. It was my choice, Ray. You can’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same thing.”

“No, and that’s what scares me,” Ray said as he went out the back door.

Blair sighed. “Well, at least it stopped raining,” he said to himself. He heard the truck pull up and went outside to great Jim. “Did you find out everything you wanted to know?”

“Not everything,” Jim said as he walked up to the younger man. “There’s a file on him that’s sealed. It requires government clearance, Chief.”

“Yeah, that would be what led to the job burnout,” Blair sighed. “Come on. Ray’s gone for a walk. We need to clean the fish.”

“What happened?”

Blair sighed. “I told him.”

“Including?” Jim asked and Blair shook his head.

 

He hadn’t been asleep for more than an hour when he heard someone knocking on his door. “Bloody hell,” he said as he got up and headed for the door. He opened it and frowned. “Murphy, what are you doing here?”

“Something came up,” Murphy said as he came into the flat.

William Andrew Phillip Bodie glared at him as he shut the door. “If I recall, you are the one who told me to go home and get some sleep.”

“Yeah, well, I thought you might want to see this,” Murphy said as he handed Bodie a file.

Bodie looked through it and sat down hard on his couch. “This is legit?”

Murphy just nodded and let Bodie read the rest of the file. “The bastard has been there all this time?”

“So it would seem,” Murphy said as he sat down beside Bodie. “There’s a ticket waiting for you at Heathrow. The flight leaves at 8 a.m. You have time for a kip before you have to be at the airport.”

Bodie just looked at his friend. “Murph, I can’t just fly to America. I have responsibilities here. I’m controller of CI5.”

“Co-controller,” Murphy interrupted. “CI 5 will survive without you for a little while. You’ve waited 13 years to find out why he left.”

Bodie looked at him for a long moment before he finally nodded. “All right, I’ll go.”

“I’ll send a car for you in the morning,” Murphy said as he headed for the door. “Bodie, don’t be too hard on him. He must have had a good reason for doing what he did.”

Bodie just nodded. After Murphy left, he thought back to that day in 1985. The day he found out his partner had abandoned him. 

Flashback

He walked into Cowley’s office and right away knew something was wrong. He had been called in on what was supposed to have been a day off. He had just come back from a solo mission up north. Doyle had argued with their controller about that one. They watched each other’s backs. That was the way it was and had always been. Cowley had insisted. Now, Bodie walked into the Controller’s office expecting to see his partner waiting for him. Ray Doyle was nowhere to be seen.

Cowley looked up from his desk. “Sit.” 

Bodie obeyed. Cowley looked at him for a long moment then spoke. “Murphy has been assigned to be your partner from now on.”

“Sir, I have a partner,” Bodie said as he sat up a little straighter. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he knew he wasn’t going to like it.

“You had a partner,” Cowley corrected. “While you were away, Doyle tendered his resignation.”

Bodie exploded out of his chair. “What?”

“He resigned,” Cowley repeated. “It has been a week now.”

Bodie didn’t even wait for permission to leave. He stormed out of the office and drove straight to Doyle’s flat. He used the key he had insisted that Doyle give him and rushed into the apartment. All he saw was an empty flat.

End Flashback

Bodie hadn’t seen or heard from Ray Doyle for 13 years. Now he had information that told him Ray Doyle was alive and well in Cascade, Washington. He went into his bedroom and packed a bag before he lay down to try and get some sleep before his flight.


	3. Chapter 3

Ray got up the next morning and went into the kitchen to make breakfast for his guests. He had talked to Blair before he went to bed last night. He apologized for storming off the way he did. He had explained to Blair that the idea of his friend dying like that was upsetting to him. Blair said that he understood. Ray looked up when he heard someone come in the kitchen. He smiled when he saw Jim standing there. “How do you like your coffee?”

“Black,” Jim said as he entered the kitchen. “What’s for breakfast?”

“I thought I’d make a couple of omelets,” Ray said as he turned back to the stove. “Of course, the ingredients for Blair’s algae shake are in the refrigerator.”

“How long have you known?” Jim asked as Ray continued to concentrate on the stove.

“Known what?”

“That you’re Blair’s father,” Jim said as Ray visibly stiffened.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ray said as Jim walked over to the stove and stood beside him.

“I think you do.”

Ray sighed. “He could come in any minute now.”

“He’s sound asleep,” Jim countered. “He’ll be out for another hour at least.”

Ray checked the omelets then turned to face Jim. “I didn’t know until after I met him. He was doing a paper on Stonehenge and I had done some research myself. I was sharing my notes with him and we started talking. That was the first time I heard him mention his mother’s name. I thought back to when I was a police officer and a pretty redhead I met while on assignment with the Drugs Squad. When she found out I was a copper, she took off. I never saw or heard from her again. Then one day a seventeen year old sophomore walks into my art class and reminds me of someone. Turns out he reminds me of me.”

“You never told him the truth?” Jim asked as Ray turned back to the stove.

Ray shook his head. “How can I tell him? He’s never had a father in his life. I have always been happy being his friend. Besides, from what he said, Naomi doesn’t know for sure who his father is. I could just be engaging in some wishful thinking.”

“You’re his father,” Jim said as Ray looked at him. “Don’t ask me how I know, I just do. You are Blair’s father. And I think you should tell him.”

“He doesn’t need a father,” Ray sighed.

“Who did he come to after he almost died?” 

“He came to me,” Ray acknowledged.

“He came here because he feels a connection to you,” Jim reasoned. “Not just as a friend or a colleague. Somehow I think his subconscious is telling him what you are to him.”

“When he’s ready, I’ll talk to him,” Ray promised. “Let him get over what happened with that woman first.”

Jim nodded. Ray finished making breakfast and Jim went to go wake up Blair. They at breakfast then they went fishing. They spent the day relaxing and having fun. Jim could see how much Ray cared about Blair as he observed Ray interacting with the younger man. He could understand why Ray hadn’t told Blair the truth yet. How do you tell a grown man that you are his father? Especially a young man who has never had a stable home life. He wondered if Naomi really didn’t realize who Blair’s father was or if she just didn’t want to admit that her son had been fathered by a police officer.

It was approaching 10 p.m. when Jim heard the car come up the driveway. Blair and Ray were playing chess. They looked up when they heard the gravel crunch under the visitor’s feet. Jim looked at Ray. “Are you expecting anyone?”

Ray shook his head as he approached the door. Jim got his gun out and gave Ray a look. “I haven’t fired one of those things in 13 years. If I started now, I’d probably hit the guy’s car.”

Jim laughed a little and motioned for Blair to stay back. He took a position on the left side of the door and nodded for Ray to open it. Ray opened it slowly and didn’t have time to react before the fist connected with his face. “Ray!” Blair shouted as Ray stumbled back.


	4. Chapter 4

Jim jumped out of his position and aimed his gun at Ray’s attacker. He found a gun aimed at him as well. Ray rubbed his face then he looked at the man who had hit him. “Jim, put your gun down. You too, Bodie.”

The two men looked at each other for a minute before they lowered their weapons. “Blair, will you and Jim put the kettle on?” Ray asked as he looked at the younger man.

Blair looked at him for a long moment then he nodded. “Come on, Jim.”

Jim looked at Ray, then at Bodie again. “It’ll be all right, Jim,” Ray assured him. “Bodie’s not going to shoot me. He might hit me again, but he won’t shoot.”

Jim finally nodded and followed Blair into the kitchen. Ray and Bodie stared at each other for a long time before Ray spoke. “How did you find me?”

“Someone tried to access your file at CI-5,” Bodie said as he stared at his former partner. “Murphy found the search and found out where you were. Where you had been this whole time.”

“Murphy’s still with CI-5 then?”

“We both are. We’re the co-controllers now.”

“Cowley resigned?” Ray asked surprised.

“Cowley died five years after you left,” Bodie said as Ray closed his eyes.

“How?”

“Cancer. The old boy had been sick for a while. He might have even been sick when you left. Why did you leave, Ray?” Bodie asked. It was the question that had been playing on his mind for 13 years. “I was only gone for a fortnight. I came home and you were gone. Cowley wouldn’t tell me where you had gone or why you had left.”

Ray sighed. “Come in the kitchen. I should tell you and Blair at the same time.”

“The one with your hair?” Bodie asked.

Ray looked at him for a minute and nodded. Then he led Bodie into the kitchen. They found Jim and Blair sitting at the kitchen table with two cups of tea waiting for them. They sat down and Ray sipped his tea before he spoke.

“I told Blair that I left England because of job burnout. That was partially true. I couldn’t do the job anymore, Bodie. After Cookie, it just became harder and harder to stay in the Squad. But I did. I stayed because of you. I couldn’t trust anyone else to watch your back. Then you went on that solo op up north. The Cow decided that would be a good time to put me through my paces with Macklin. Not to mention I was past due for a physical. Before I could do either one of those wonderful exercises, there was a threat to the Royal Family. Someone was going to try to get at the Prince and Princess of Wales as they escorted their son to nursery school. It was an IRA group that we had been after since Thatcher’s election. I was chasing two of the villains when my chest felt like it was about to explode. I slumped against a wall and that’s where Cowley found me. He took me straight to hospital.”

“You had a heart attack?” Blair asked softly.

Ray shook his head. “No, that was just a bloody warning. The consultant told me that if I continued the way I was, the real thing wouldn’t be far behind.”

“You were barely forty,” Bodie said in disbelief. “You watched what you ate. You made sure that you avoided half the things I ate on a daily basis. You were practically a vegetarian. How could you have heart problems?”

“There are consequences to be paid when one is shot in the heart,” Ray said as Bodie stood up and started to pace the room.

“You were shot in the heart?” Blair asked as his eyes got wide.

“Near enough,” Ray admitted. “Then in the back for good measure.”

“What happened?” Blair asked.

“That bitch shot him because some friend of hers who liked to play with bombs got himself blown up,” Bodie spat. “She blamed Doyle. Snuck into his flat and shot him for revenge. Then she lost her nerve and couldn’t fire the kill shot, so she shot him in the back.”

“What happened to her?” Jim asked.

“She died,” Ray sighed. “She shot the man responsible for her father’s death. She was shot trying to escape and died on her way to hospital.”

“I should dig her up and shoot her again” Bodie said through clenched teeth.

Ray got up and went over to his former partner. “She shot me because she thought I was responsible for her friend’s death. If she had seen you, she would have come after you as well. What happened to me after that was just the luck of the draw.”

“You almost had a heart attack!” Bodie shouted. “You left CI-5 because of what she did to you.”

“I would have left anyway,” Ray sighed. “You know that Bodie. You know I was beginning to hate the job before I got shot.”

“Why did you come here?” Bodie asked as he looked over at Blair.

“I needed peace and quiet to come to terms with what had happened,” Ray said as he led Bodie back over to the table. “I needed a place that wouldn’t be on your radar. I knew you would come and try to talk me out of resigning. I literally picked Cascade off of a map and left.”

“It wasn’t because of him?” Bodie said as he indicated Blair with his head.

“Why would he come here because of me?” Blair asked as Ray looked over at him. “He didn’t even know me until after he moved here.”

“He’s right,” Ray said as he looked from Bodie to Blair and back again. “I didn’t know Blair until I came here. I started teaching art classes at the university he was attending.”

“You went back to art?” Bodie asked, not really all that surprised. 

Ray nodded. Bodie decided to ask the other question that had been on his mind since he had found out where Ray was. “Did Cowley know where you had gone?”

Ray shook his head. “He helped me leave London. He knew I was flying to New York, but not where I was going after that. He wanted to know if I wanted a new name. I told him no. No one would connect Ray Doyle, Art Professor with Ray Doyle CI-5 agent. No one until now.”

“I made the connection,” Jim said as Ray looked at him.

“Not really,” he smiled. “All you did was try to protect your partner. Just like I did for all those years with this loose cannon.”

“Me? A loose cannon?” Bodie sounded offended. “You were the one with the wicked temper , Sunshine.”

Blair had been staring at Ray ever since Bodie asked if the older man had come to Cascade because of him. “Why did he ask if you came here because of me?”

Jim looked at Bodie, who nodded and they both headed out of the kitchen. Ray went over to the kettle and poured himself some more tea. “I guess its confession night for me.”  
He sat back down and looked at Blair for a long time before he finally told Blair his story. “In 1968, I was a copper with the Met. I was seconded to the Drugs Squad for an assignment. They needed hippie types to find a drug syndicate. I went undercover. Grew my hair about as long as yours is now. I met a young woman who wasn’t part of the syndicate but was seeing one of the men who was. I befriended her at first. She was my way in. I swear, Blair, all that happened at first was friendship. I didn’t want to use her any more than I had to. Once she introduced me to her boyfriend, I did everything I could to get her out of there. I convinced her that the boyfriend was trying to kill her. Of course, that turned out to be the truth. I had wrapped up the assignment when I ran into her again. I had been given leave, so I hadn’t cut my hair yet. We started sleeping together. Then she found out what my job was. I never saw her again. I never even heard her name again until I was talking to her son eighteen years later.”

“Naomi?” Blair said quietly.

Ray just nodded. Blair looked at him for a long time before he spoke again. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t know for certain,” Ray admitted. “You told me that Naomi had always said she wasn’t sure who your father was. For all I knew, my instincts were wrong and it was the man I busted who was your father. You didn’t need to know that.”

“But you’re certain now?”

“Jim said that he knew I was your father,” Ray said as Blair looked up. “He said not to ask him how he knew, but he knew that I am your father.”

“He has a way of knowing things,” Blair said as he smiled a little. “That’s why you were so upset when I told you what had happened to me. Because I’m your son.”

Ray just nodded. “Why didn’t you tell me you have a heart condition?”

“I don’t,” Ray said as Blair gave him a look. “Well, not really. I haven’t had an incident since that day in 1985. I don’t have to take tablets or anything. I just have to make sure that I avoid extremely stressful situations. Like Bodie said, my diet has never been an issue. You’ve seen the way I eat.”

Blair nodded. Then he got up. “I need to process all of this. I’m going to go for a walk.”

Ray watched him walk out of the room and sighed. He headed into the living room and found Jim and Bodie standing next to each other. “Blair went for a walk.”

“Processing?” Jim asked.

“Yeah, that’s what he said he needed to do.”  
“That was something Naomi was good at doing,” Jim said as he finally sat down on the couch. “When he needs to deal with something, he’ll either take a walk or he’ll mediate.”

“Sounds like someone I used to know,” Bodie said as he gave Ray a look.

“Bodie, I explained why I left,” Ray sighed as he flopped into his recliner.

“Yeah, I know you did, Mate,” Bodie said as he looked down at his ex-partner. “I also know that if you had told me then, I would have come with you. I would have made sure that you were taken care of.”

“That’s just it,” Ray argued. “You would have taken care of me. You would have wrapped me up in wool like you did when I was shot. I couldn’t take that then. I had just been told that I was risking a heart attack doing the only thing I had been trained to do. What do you think you could have done to help me?”

“I don’t know,” Bodie sighed as he sat down next to Jim. “I don’t know what I would have done. You didn’t give me a chance to find out.”

“I did what I felt was best for both of us at the time,” Ray said as Bodie gave him a look. “Maybe it was the wrong decision, but I would do it again if it meant coming here and finding out I have a son. Do you think for one minute I would have ever met Blair if I had stayed in London?”

Bodie shook his head. Jim cocked his and listened. “It’s starting to rain again. I better go find Blair.”

“There’s an umbrella under the stairs,” Ray said as Jim went and got it before he got ready to head out. “Make sure when you get back that he gets into the shower straight away. He had to use his inhaler when we got caught in the rain yesterday.”

Jim nodded and said something under his breath about stubborn guides. Ray and Bodie looked at each other for a long time before Bodie spoke again. “I should go find a hotel. I have a serious case of jet lag building”

“Don’t be daft,” Ray said as he got up. “I might be out of guest rooms, but the sofa folds out. Sleep here tonight. We can talk some more tomorrow.”

Bodie looked at him for a long moment then he got up. “I’ll get my kit.”


	5. Chapter 5

Jim found Blair as the younger man was walking back towards the cabin. “You okay Chief?”

Blair just nodded and Jim held the umbrella over his head. “Ray said you knew he was my father.”

“It’s hard to explain,” Jim sighed. “Parents and children have similar scents. You have a similar scent to both Ray and Naomi. I guess I have a similar scent to my dad. That’s how I knew he was your father.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Blair asked.

“It wasn’t my place to tell you that, Blair,” Jim said as he started to lead Blair back to the cabin. “Ray wanted to be the one to tell you. He knew you were dealing with what happened to you and he didn’t want to dump a long lost father in your lap. Bodie turning up tonight forced his hand.”

“I guess so,” Blair said. He stopped just before they got to the door. “Jim, I have a dad.”

 

Jim smiled. “Yes, you do. And he likes you. Go figure.”  
Blair gave him a shove and they went into the cabin. Both Jim and Ray admonished Blair to get into the shower. Ray made up the sofa for Bodie then he headed to bed. He lay on his bed and thought about the events of the evening. In the course of one evening he had admitted the truth to Blair and been reunited with Bodie. He stared at the ceiling. Bodie, there was someone he hadn’t thought he would ever see again. He had laid there for ages before he finally gave up on sleep and headed downstairs.

He looked at Bodie as he slept on the sofa bed. The years had been kind to his former partner. He thought of what might have happened if he had waited for Bodie to get back from his op. He kept coming to the same conclusion. Bodie would have resigned so he could take care of Ray. Ray knew that without a shadow of a doubt. And Bodie would have resented him for it. Ray also knew that without a shadow of a doubt.

He went into the kitchen and got out a beer. He sat at his kitchen table and put his head in his hands. He wasn’t surprised to hear the kitchen door open. “There’s beer in the fridge,” he said without looking to see who it was. 

He heard the fridge door open and then heard the chair be pulled out and his guest sit down. “You going to look at me Sunshine?”

Ray laughed as he looked up. “No one’s called me that in 13 years.”

Bodie just looked at him. “Thirteen years of not knowing where you were. Thirteen years of not knowing if you were alive or dead.”

“I know,” Ray sighed.

“Do you? Do you know what I’ve gone through all these years? Wondering if you were ever coming back. Wondering what I did to make you leave.”

“You didn’t do anything. It wasn’t you, Bodie. I didn’t leave because of anything you did.”

“I thought you did,” Bodie said as he started to play with the label on the bottle in front of him. “Before I left for that op, what happened between us, I thought that was why you left.”

Ray started to reach over, stopped for a moment, then let his hand find its way to Bodie’s. “What happened between us was wonderful. What happened between us meant the world to me. What happened between us made it even more difficult to leave.”

Bodie looked into Ray’s eyes. “You didn’t regret it?”

“Not one moment,” Ray said as he squeezed Bodie’s hand. “My only regret is that I left without leaving you some sort of explanation.”

“I would have tried looking for you if you had.”

“I think that’s why I didn’t. I didn’t want you to be burdened with me. Not when I didn’t really know what was going on. But like I told Blair, I haven’t had an incident since that day in London. Even if I had left the Squad but stayed in London, I still would have been in danger of having another incident. Worrying about someone you love can be a stressful experience.”

“I wouldn’t have put you in that position,” Bodie argued. “If you had stayed and told me what the consultant had said, I would have resigned before I put you in a situation that would have endangered your health.”

“And you would have resented the hell out of me within 2 months,” Ray countered. “I made a hard decision based on what I thought was best for both of us. Was it the right decision? I don’t know. But Bodie, I’ve lived a good life here in Cascade. I haven’t had to look over my shoulder in 13 years. I haven’t had to fire a bloody gun. And I found out that I have a son.”

“But you didn’t get to experience any of that with me.”

“But you got to become Controller of CI5.”

“It was supposed to be both of us,” Bodie sighed. “Cowley told me as he was lying on his deathbed. We were his hand picked successors. He wanted us to run CI5 the way he wanted it run. He wanted us to continue his legacy. Murphy was my choice. I knew he would be a better politician than me. We’ve been good partners, but it hasn’t been the same.”

“I knew I could trust Murph to watch your back for me,” Ray said as he sat back in his seat. “I knew what Cowley had planned. He told me when he tried to talk me out of leaving. I knew that if I stayed with the job I wouldn’t live long enough to become Co-Controller of CI5. Either I would have had a heart attack or I would have been killed trying to protect your sorry ass.”

“Yeah, like I’m the one who attracted trouble like a magnet,” Bodie laughed.

“Oh great, like father like son,” Jim said from the door to the kitchen.

The older men looked up. “What are you doing up?” Ray asked.

“Couldn’t sleep,” Jim shrugged as he came in and joined them at the table. “Besides, it’s quarter till six. If I was still in the Army, I would have been up already.”

Bodie just nodded in agreement as Ray looked at his son’s partner. “What do you mean like father like son?”

Jim laughed a little. “Blair tends to attract trouble. You should get him to tell you about..”

“Don’t even finish that sentence Ellison,” Blair said as he came in the kitchen. “I do not attract trouble. You on the other hand.”

Bodie and Ray looked at each other and laughed. “What’s so funny?” Blair asked.

“You two sound like us,” Ray said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's more to come. I will try to update in a timely fashion. I'm not done with these four yet. They haven't even started working together yet. Just wait.


	6. Chapter 6

Jim looked at Bodie, “Don’t tell me he’s a trouble magnet too.”

“Did I mention he was shot in his own flat?” Bodie said as Ray gave him a look. “Did I mention him getting his cover blown and getting put into the boot of a car? Did I mention him getting shot in the leg?”

“Did I mention the time his cover got blown and he had a bomb strapped to his chest?” Ray said as Jim laughed.

“Yeah, I guess they are like us,” he said as he looked at Blair.

“Speak for yourself,” Blair said as he went to the coffee pot. “So how come we’re all up at this ungodly hour?”

“We couldn’t sleep,” Ray said as Blair started to make some coffee. “What about you?”

“I heard all of you down here,” Blair said. “Plus I guess I couldn’t sleep either. Too much on my mind.”

Ray hung his head. Blair went over to him. “Hey, all you did was confirm that someone cool is my dad. Me finding out who my father is was not the reason I couldn’t sleep. To tell the truth, I kept having nightmares about Alex Barnes.”

“She’s not going to hurt you again, Blair,” Jim said as he looked at his friend. “She’s in a catatonic state.”

Blair just nodded. He looked at them. “I’m going to go take a shower.”

“Who’s Alex Barnes?” Bodie asked as Ray got up and checked on the coffee.

“She’s the woman who tried to kill him,” he said as he looked over at Jim then went out onto the back porch.

Jim hung his head. Bodie looked at him. “Let me guess, you feel responsible for what happened to Blair.”

“I am responsible,” Jim argued. “I was the one who got him killed.”

“Hate to be the one to tell you this, but he’s not dead.”

“He was. The paramedics called it. He was dead. I can’t tell you what happened to bring him back. All I know is if it hadn’t been for me, he would never have been that situation in the first place.”

“Oh, I get it,” Bodie said as he gave Jim a knowing look.

“Get what?” Jim said as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

“You love Blair,” Bodie concluded. “You love him and you don’t know what to do with that fact. You know that you would move heaven and earth to protect him and if he ever returned those feelings, you would be thrilled. Yeah, something you did may have caused him to get hurt, but he’s an adult. He’s responsible for his own actions. You can only be responsible for you. Don’t you think I blamed myself when Ray got shot? I kept thinking if I had gone home with him that day, I would have noticed that bitch sneaking into his flat. Or if I had a key and hadn’t had to climb up the fire escape, he might not have flatlined. And I’ve had 13 years of blaming myself for him leaving. Let me tell you something, blaming yourself isn’t anyway to live. If you love him, tell him.”

Bodie got up and left Jim in the kitchen while he went out to join Ray on the back porch. Jim thought about what Bodie had said and got a cup of coffee ready for Blair and went up to his room. It was only a minute or so later when Blair came out of the bathroom and came in. He was surprised to see Jim sitting on his bed. 

“What are you doing in here?”

“I brought you some coffee,” Jim said as he held up the mug. “Just the way you like it.”

Blair gave him a look as he got dressed. “You came all the way up here to bring me coffee?”

“Why not?” Jim asked.

“Because it’s not a very Jim Ellison thing to do for one thing.”

Jim sighed and set the mug down on the end table. “No, I guess it’s not. Listen, Blair, I came up here because Bodie made me admit something to myself.”

“What’s that?” Blair asked as he brushed his hair and pulled it back to put his hair tie in it.

“That I need to tell you how I feel.”

“Feel about what?” Blair said as he stopped moving and looked at Jim. “About being my friend?”

“No, well, not just that,” Jim said as he got up. He went over to Blair and took his hands. “Bodie made me realize that I haven’t told you that I love you.”

Blair tried to step back but Jim kept a tight grip on his hands. “I love you Chief,” he said as he looked the younger man in the eyes. “I have for a long time. When I thought I had lost you at that damn fountain, I thought it would end my world, my life. I still can’t explain how we managed to get you back. I am eternally grateful that we did though.”

“You really love me?” Blair asked.

“Yes, I do,” Jim smiled. “I should have told you a long time ago. I should have told you after you came out of that coma with the Golden. I should have told you hundreds of times.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“You know me,” Jim laughed. “Mr. Fear of Commitment. I was scared that you would tell me to take a hike.”

“Never,” Blair said as he smiled a little.

“So, I’ve got a question.”

“What’s that?”

“How do you feel about me?” Jim asked as Blair grinned.

“Listen to my heart beating and tell me how I feel about you.”

Jim focused his hearing and heard Blair’s heart beating faster. He took that as a sign and leaned in to kiss Blair. Blair closed his eyes and felt his heart melt when Jim’s lips touched his. It was like time stood still. They forgot they were in Ray’s cabin and that Ray and Bodie were downstairs as they kissed. When they parted, Blair looked up at Jim. “You can kiss me like that for the rest of my life.”

“Deal,” Jim grinned as he reached for the hem of Blair’s shirt.

“Jim, no, not here,” Blair said as he grabbed Jim’s hands. “Ray and Bodie are downstairs and we just found out Ray is my dad. It can wait until we get back to the loft.”

Jim groaned, then he nodded. He kissed Blair again then went over to the end table and gave Blair the cup of coffee he had brought him. “Go downstairs. I’m going to take a shower. If I don’t, Ray’s going to know what my intentions are and he may not have fired a gun in the last 13 years, but he’d probably shoot me if I came downstairs right now.”

Blair just laughed and kissed Jim as he left the bedroom. He found Ray standing over the stove. “Where’s Bodie?”

“Checking in with London,” Ray said as he looked back at Blair. “Jim taking a shower?”

“Yeah, he is,” Blair said as he set down his coffee. “Listen, Ray, Jim and I…”

“Just admitted how you feel about each other,” Ray concluded. He smiled at his son. He liked knowing for sure that Blair was his son. “Blair, I’m not going to say anything about you and Jim being together. I would be a hypocrite if I did.”

“You and Bodie?” Blair asked as he sat down.

“Now you know why he hit me when he saw me last night. You would probably hit Jim if he had disappeared not long after the two of you admitted how you felt about each other.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Blair said as he looked down at his coffee. “So, are you going to go back to London?”

Ray turned down the heat on the stove and sat beside his son. He put his hand on Blair’s. “Blair, my life is here now. I’ve made a name for myself in the art world and I enjoy teaching. Right now, I’m not sure what Bodie’s going to do. We’ve been apart for a long time. I know I still love him but I won’t blame him if he decides to go back to London and his life there. He has a lot to think about.”

“It’s just…” 

“You just found out I’m your father,” Ray said as Blair looked up and nodded. “I understand. And like I said, I’m not going anywhere. Bodie will decide if he stays here or goes back to London and if we get back together. I can’t make that decision for him.”

Bodie came in and looked at Ray. “I am to give you a good punch from Murphy. I’m sure some of the other old lads will have the same instructions.”

Ray just laughed as he got up and finished making breakfast. “Blair do you want some of this or your shake?”

“I’ll have what everyone else is eating,” Blair said as Jim came downstairs. 

He looked at Blair. “I have to go back to Cascade. The mayor is asking for me to work a murder that happened last night.”

“Jim, it’s okay. I probably need to go back soon too. I have papers to grade.”

“Damn,” Ray said as he put the food on the table. “I forgot I have to do that too.”

“You’ve got the papers with you, don’t you Chief?” Jim asked as he sat down to eat.

Blair nodded. “Why don’t you two stay here and grade papers? I can take Bodie to Cascade with me. I can tell Simon he’s an intelligence agent from London. I just won’t tell him which one or that Bodie’s in charge.”

“What do you think, Sunshine?” Bodie asked Ray.

“I think it sounds like a good idea to me,” Ray said as Bodie grinned. “Just be careful.”

“Always.”

Jim and Bodie left for Cascade after they finished eating. Ray and Blair sat down in the living room to start grading their papers. Ray laughed a little when he put his glasses on. “What?” Blair asked as he looked at him.

“Bodie hasn’t seen these yet,” Ray said indicating his glasses. “The last time he saw me I wasn’t wearing specs.”

“Think he’ll tease you?” Blair grinned.

“Oh, I’m sure he will,” Ray said as he shook his head and turned to his papers.

It was around three in the afternoon when they finished grading their papers. Ray looked at his watch, then at the door. “They probably got caught up in the case,” Blair said as he looked at Ray. “Tell you what, why don’t we head back to Cascade and we can go to the loft. They’re bound to break for dinner at some point. We can have something ready for them.”

Ray took off his glasses and smiled. “That sounds like an excellent idea. I’ll get Bodie’s things. We can stay at my flat in town tonight.”

“I’ll get mine and Jim’s stuff,” Blair said as he got up. 

They were in Ray’s Jeep and driving to Cascade 10 minutes later. When they arrived in Cascade, they stopped at the market to pick up a few things for dinner before they went to the loft. Blair opened the door and stopped just in the doorway when he saw who was sitting on the couch. “Mom.”


	7. Chapter 7

“Hello, Sweetie,” she said as she got up and started to walk over to him. 

“What are you doing here?” he asked as he walked in with Ray right behind him.

“I finally got Simon’s message that you were in the hospital,” she said as Ray took the bags from Blair and went to the kitchen. “He made it seem like it was life and death, but you seem fine.”

Blair sighed and he set down his backpack. “It was life and death, Naomi. I almost dead, no, I was dead.”

“I don’t understand,” she said as Ray came back over. 

“Blair, I’m going to take my and Bodie’s things back to the flat. I’ll be back in an hour or so.”

“You don’t have to leave,” Blair said as he looked at his father.

“I think it might be best,” Ray said as Naomi looked at him.

“Oh my God,” she said as she realized who he was. “What are you doing here?”

“Mom, you remember the Art professor I kept going on about,” Blair said as she looked at her son. “I’m not sure after talking to him you two were ever formally introduced. Naomi Sandburg, meet Ray Doyle.”

She glared at Ray. “Are you undercover again?”

“No, Naomi, I haven’t been part of the police force for a very long time,” he sighed. “In fact, I haven’t been part of law enforcement at all for over ten years.”

“And you just happened to start teaching at the university where my son is attending?”

“Yes, Naomi,” he said as Blair held his hand up. 

“Look, we just got back from Ray’s cabin. Why don’t I make some tea and then we can sit down and talk?”

Ray nodded and followed Blair into the kitchen. He started putting away the groceries they had bought as Naomi sat down at the counter. “Where’s Jim?”

“He’s working a case,” Blair said as he got the mugs out.

“Why aren’t you with him? I thought you were his consultant or something.”

“He’s got plenty of help today, Mom,” Blair said as he looked at her. He looked over at Ray then back at his mother. “I have a question for you, though.”

“What is it?”

“Why did you tell me you didn’t know who my father is?”

“I told you there were several possibilities,” she argued. 

“Naomi, you’re a smart woman,” he said as the kettle started to boil. Ray put his hand on Blair’s shoulder as he went over and poured the water into the mugs for the tea. Blair continued. “You knew when you found out you were pregnant that you had been in London when you conceived me. You knew there were only two possibilities. You also knew when I was born who the likely candidate was. Yet you always told me you had no idea who it could be. Do you know how that made you look when I said that to my friends?”

She sighed. “Of course I knew how it looked. It was one of the reasons we moved around so much. I left you with relatives so you didn’t have to deal with the whispers and gossip.”

“I did have to deal with that, Naomi,” he said as he threw his arms up. “Every time you left me alone with some uncle or relative, I had to deal with it. I would hear teachers say ‘That poor Sandburg boy has no father and his mother doesn’t care enough to stay with him,’ All you had to say was that you knew who my father was but you hadn’t told him about me.”

Naomi laughed. “I get it. You think because Ray and I spent some time together before you were born, he’s your father. He wasn’t the only person I slept with while I was in England, Blair. It could have been anyone. Hell, it could have been George Harrison.”

Ray went over to her and took her by the arms. “Naomi, stop it. He deserves to know the truth. I know I hurt you because I used you to take down that drugs syndicate, but that is no reason to punish our son. He deserves to hear it from his mother, not Jim.”

“Jim?” Naomi said as she looked at Blair. “Jim told you Ray’s your father?”

“No, Ray told me,” Blair said as he leaned against the counter behind him. “Jim figured it out though.”

“Oh, I’m sure he did,” she spat. She looked back at Ray. “Why would I want to tell him that his father used his mother? Why would I want to tell him that his father didn’t give a damn about me? The only thing he cared was making his case.”

Ray closed his eyes. “That’s not true, Naomi. I cared about you. I didn’t want to see you get hurt. I wanted to tell you the truth but you left before I could.”

She pulled away from him. “I tried to keep Blair away from cops his entire life. I tried to make sure he knew that cops couldn’t be trusted.”

She looked up when she heard the door open and saw Jim come in followed by someone she didn’t recognize. “And what does he do? He finds some cop he thinks can be his subject for his dissertation. My smart, beautiful, gentle son started hanging out with the very people I tried to protect him from.”

Bodie just laughed. “I’m sorry, you tried to protect him from Ray? Ray, who would lay down his life to save the people he loves?”

He just shook his head and went to the couch and sat down. “Got any beer?”

“I suppose you’re a cop too,” Naomi sneered.

“Bite your tongue,” Bodie said as he looked at her and grinned. “Secret agent actually.”

“Bodie,” Ray said as he gave him a look.

Blair looked at Naomi. “It’s been a long day. We were just about to make something to eat. If you want to stay you can, but you have to know that Ray will be and has been a part of my life. He’s been someone I could count on since I came to Cascade. I don’t know how things are going to change now that we know he’s my father, but I would like for you to be part of that. If you can’t handle that, you know where the door is.”

He turned and started gathering what he needed to make dinner. He didn’t see the look Naomi gave him. She looked at Ray. “You want to take him away from me.”

“No, Naomi, I don’t,” Ray sighed. “I want to share him with you. He’s our son and he’s a grown man. I want to learn about what he was like when he was a child. You’re the only one who can tell me those things.”

“I don’t want to,” she spat. “I never wanted him to know you. I never wanted…”

“Naomi,” Jim said as he put his hand on her shoulder. “I know Simon called you because Blair was in the hospital. He’s still recovering from that. And now he’s found out who his father is. He doesn’t need you causing trouble. He has invited you to stay for dinner. Ray has asked you to share Blair and his childhood with him. You have to decide right now if you can process this.”

She looked at him for a minute then she shook her head. “I can’t. Not tonight. I’m sorry.”

She went to the couch where Bodie held out her things for her and left. Blair’s shoulders slumped when he heard the door shut. “Uh, Jim, can you keep an eye on this? I need to get our things put away.”

“Yeah, sure, Chief,” Jim said as he came over and kissed the top of Blair’s head. “Just remember to take your stuff upstairs."

Blair nodded and went and got their bags. He was up the stairs before Ray could speak. Ray looked at Jim. “Should we leave?”

“No,” Jim said as he turned and looked at Ray. “He needs you tonight. Just give him a few minutes to compose himself. Naomi usually isn’t like this.”

“Are you sure?” Ray asked as Bodie got up and came over to him. “When we came in she didn’t seem to be terribly concerned that he had been in the hospital.”

“She’ll be back,” Jim assured. “And when she comes back, she’ll hover over him and blame me for what happened.”

Ray nodded and went to help Jim since he knew what Blair had planned for their dinner. Bodie took the opportunity while they were distracted to go upstairs and check on Blair. He found Blair sitting on the bed with his hair in his face. “I know she’s your mother, but if I ever hear her talk to you or Ray like that again, I’ll chuck her out the front door.”  
Blair sighed. “I don’t need this right now, Bodie.”

“I think you do,” he said as he sat beside him. Blair looked at him. “Jim and Ray are going to be gentle with you because Jim’s your lover and Ray’s your dad. I’m, at best, your step-father. I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t know Naomi, they do. I don’t have residual feelings for her and I don’t have to worry about making her my mother-in-law. What I saw down there was a jealous woman. She was angry you and Ray had found each other, yes, but not because she thought he had used her. She was angry because someone else had entered your world. Someone who is just as important as her in your familial view, your father. Ray told me about her a long time ago. He described the ultimate Flower Child who didn’t trust anyone in authority. It doesn’t seem like much has changed on that front. I know you have enough love in you for your mother and your father. I know you wouldn’t give up one to please the other. Do you honestly think she has enough love in her heart for you to share you with Ray?”

“I don’t know,” Blair sighed. “I really don’t. And I don’t know what I’ll do if she decides she can’t be part of my life anymore.”

“Tonight, don’t worry about her. Go downstairs. We’ll have dinner. Jim will fill you and Ray in on the case. Don’t tell me you two aren’t interested.”

Blair grinned. “Maybe just a little.”

“Let your mother have time to process or whatever you two call it,” Bodie said as he got up. “Don’t let her affect you and your new relationship with Ray.”

Blair nodded and got up. He followed Blair downstairs then went over to Ray. “I’m sorry about Naomi.”

“It’s not your fault,” Ray said as he put his hand on his son’s shoulder. “I knew she would blame me for using her. I don’t want to come between you and your mother…”

“Oh stop right now,” Bodie said as Ray glared at him.

“What?”

“You really haven’t changed, have you? It is not your fault Naomi took off instead of letting you explain what happened. It’s not your fault she kept Blair from you. It’s not your fault she just acted like a complete bitch. And it’s not your fault that Blair just got out of hospital.”

“What makes you think I blame myself for him going to hospital?” Ray asked as Bodie grinned.

“Because you blame yourself for everything, my son, always have. Probably always will.”

“Yeah, that sounds familiar,” Jim said as Blair gave him a look. 

Jim’s phone rang before Blair could say anything else. He went to check on dinner while Jim took his call. When it was ready, they sat down and Jim and Blair told Ray and Bodie about some of the cases they had worked on and the older men did the same.

Bodie helped Jim wrap up his case then he told Ray he needed to go back to England. They were alone in Ray’s flat. Bodie took Ray’s hand and assured him he was only going back to London long enough to tender his resignation and get things settled. 

Blair and Jim went with them to the airport to see Bodie off. Blair and Jim shook his hand then he and Ray walked a few feet away. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. If you think I’m going to leave you here on your own, you’re sorely mistaken. You’ll be lucky if I ever let you out of my sight again.”

He gave Ray a kiss then went to board his plane. It was nearly a month before he was able to come back to Cascade. It turned out resigning as Co-Controller of CI5 was more complicated than he thought it would be. Ray was waiting for him at the airport when he arrived back in Cascade. They went straight to Ray’s flat and Ray gave him a proper welcome home.

Jim called Bodie with an offer he couldn’t pass up. Bodie was always a man of action. He wouldn’t be satisfied with retirement. Jim had talked to Simon and after the work Bodie had done on the murder case he worked with Jim, Simon agreed. Bodie was made a consultant for the Cascade PD. Jim teased Blair that at least Bodie was getting paid.


	8. Chapter 8

It was about a month later that Jim started acting strange again. He started acting more protective of Blair. He down right refused to take him on cases and wouldn’t explain why. No one knew what was going on until one day when Simon got a phone call. He looked out at the bullpen and saw Jim trying to type up his report. He wouldn’t even allow Blair to come to the station to help him with his paperwork. Simon got up and went to the office they had given Bodie when he started working at the PD. He walked in and shut the door.  
“What have Jim and Blair told you about what happened to Blair?” he asked as Bodie looked up at him.

“They told me that a suspect they were after came to the university,” Bodie said as he remembered Ray making Jim and Blair tell Bodie what had happened. “She knocked him out and put him in the fountain. He drowned and somehow Jim brought him back. Then he very foolishly followed them to Peru. Of course that doesn’t surprise me knowing who father is.”

“So the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree?” Simon asked as he pointed to Bodie’s visitor’s chair. Bodie nodded and Simon sat down.

“What’s this all about, Captain?” 

“Alex Barnes was in a catatonic state when we came back from Peru. She wasn’t expected to ever recover from it. She was placed in a psychiatric facility.”

Bodie sat up. “Let me guess, she’s not catatonic anymore.”

“No, she’s not.”

Bodie didn’t like the look on the captain’s face. “She escaped, didn’t she?”

“She was placed in a low security facility because the doctors were convinced she would never recover,” Simon said as Bodie got up and started to pace his office.

“So that bitch is now on the loose and probably out for revenge. Will she target Jim, or just Blair?”

“I don’t know.”

“Have you told Jim?”

“No, I came to see you as soon as I found out what had happened.”

Bodie nodded. “Let’s go talk to him.”

Simon got up and led the way to the bull pen. “By the way,” Bodie said. “If this is any way connected to the secret Jim and Blair have been keeping, it might be wise to fill me in. I won’t risk Ray’s life because I don’t have all the information.”

Simon looked at him for a minute then nodded. They went into the bullpen and walked over to Jim. “Jim, can you come into my office, please,” Simon said as Jim looked up at him.

When he realized Bodie was standing there, he flew out of his chair. “What’s happened to Blair?”

“Nothing,” Bodie said as he looked him in the eye. “He’s fine. There’s just something we need to discuss with you.”

Jim nodded and they went into Simon’s office. Simon pulled the shades to his windows before he looked at his best detective. “I need you to promise to be as calm as you can be when I tell you this.”

“Captain, what is it?” Jim asked as Simon gave him a look. He just sighed. “I’ll do my best.”

“I got a call from the facility Alex Barnes was sent to. She seems to have come out of her catatonic state.”

“So she can go to trial for what she did to Blair,” Jim said as he took in the looks on the other men’s faces. “No. No, you cannot be serious! She cannot have escaped.”

Simon just nodded and Jim ripped the door open and stormed out. Bodie chased after him. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“To find Blair,” he said as he stopped to keep from running over Bodie. “I have to protect him.”

“And you think charging in like a bull the best course of action?”

“Don’t tell me you wouldn’t if it was Ray who was in danger,” Jim said as he tried to walk around Bodie.

Bodie just blocked his path. “Never said I wouldn’t. But you know you can’t go charging into a classroom at the university. We’ll go down there together. We’ll go get Ray and Blair and bring them back here. We won’t let that bitch hurt either one of them.”

Jim nodded and they left for the university. When they got to the art building, Ray’s assistant told them that he and Blair had left for lunch. Jim knew that Blair sometimes went home for lunch so he took a chance and called the loft. “Hello?”

“Blair, are you okay?” Jim asked as he and Bodie ran for the truck.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Blair said, his voice confused. “What’s wrong?”

“Is Ray with you?”

“Yeah, he’s right here.”

“We’ll tell you when we see you,” Jim said as he hung up and floored it to the loft. 

Bodie hung on for dear life. When they got out of the truck he looked at Jim. “And I thought we were bad drivers when we were tearing through the streets of London.”

Jim just glanced at him as they went upstairs. Ray and Blair looked up as they walked in. “What’s going on?” Blair asked as Jim came over and pulled him into his arms.

“Alex Barnes has escaped,” Bodie said as Ray looked from his lover to his son.

“Do we need to get Blair somewhere safe?”

“What?” Blair said as he pulled away from Jim. “No. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Blair, you have to,” Jim pleaded. “I need to know you’re safe.”

“We can go to the cabin,” Ray suggested.

“Jim…” Blair started.

“No,” Jim growled. “You have to be safe.”

Bodie and Ray exchanged a glance. In that moment they were more frightened for Blair’s safety than they would be if Alex Barnes had been in the room with them. “I think it’s time you two did some explaining,” Bodie said as Ray came over and eased Blair away from Jim’s grasp.

“Jim, we have to tell them,” Blair said as he reached out and touched Jim’s shoulder. At that moment, Ray wasn’t comfortable with his son being that close to Jim. Jim just nodded and everyone sat down.

Blair looked at his father and Bodie. “We told you that my dissertation is about the closed societies that build up in police departments.”

Ray nodded and Blair continued. “That’s not exactly true. My dissertation is about a group of extraordinary humans whose senses were enhanced. All five senses were enhanced to the level that they could hear a pin drop two miles away, and that’s just for starters. They were predominantly in Peru and their senses kick started after they were in situations of extreme isolation. They were called Sentinels.”

“Are you saying Jim is a Sentinel?” Ray asked as Bodie gave them a look.

Blair noticed. “Bodie, that first case you worked with Jim, did he see a piece of evidence that no one else, not even the CSI’s spotted?”

“Yes.”

“Was he able to tell you exactly what room the suspect was in when you got to the warehouse?”

“Yes.”

“He was able to do those things because he is a Sentinel. So is Alex. I thought I could help her like I had helped Jim. I kept them apart because I wasn’t sure what would happen when they met. When Jim found out she was a Sentinel, he thought I had betrayed him. That’s why he kicked me out.”

“He kicked you out?” Ray said as he glared at Jim.

“The night before he was drowned,” Jim said as Bodie reached over and put a hand on Ray’s shoulder.

“He couldn’t have known what she would do, Sunshine.”

“Bodie’s right,” Blair said as he looked at his father. “I think Jim was trying to protect his territory. He cleared the entire loft out. He was acting on instinct.”

It was like a light bulb went off when he said that. “Like you have been the last few days. You’ve gone a bit primal.”

Jim looked at him, shocked. “I would never kick you out again.”

“I know you wouldn’t, Man,” Blair said as he took his lover’s hand. “I think now you’re acting on an instinct to protect your mate. The primal side of you needs to protect me at any costs because I’m your mate now.”

“I don’t know if I can handle it if you went to the cabin right now,” Jim admitted. “I know that’s probably the safest place for you, but…”

“I know,” Blair smiled. “I’ve been studying Sentinels my entire life, remember. I know you need me near, but as out of danger as I can get. That’s why you won’t let me go to work with you.”

“Well if you’re staying, so are we,” Ray stated as Bodie gave him a look.

“Oh really?”

“Yes,” he said as he gave his lover a look. “Go to the flat and get some things together. We’re not leaving until Jim has caught this woman and put her back where she belongs.”

“Ray, you don’t have to do this,” Blair said as he looked at his father.

“You shouldn’t do this, more like,” Bodie growled. “Are you forgetting why you came to Cascade in the first place?”

“I can take care of myself, Bodie,” Ray bit out. “I’ve been doing so for the last 13 years. I’m protecting my son, and you’re helping. Now, will you go get our things, or do I have to?”


	9. Chapter 9

Bodie looked at Ray for a long time. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to talk his lover out of this. He knew how strongly Ray felt about this. He needed to protect Blair. And he needed to prove to Bodie that he could take care of himself. He needed to let Ray do this. He got up and walked out of the loft.

When Bodie returned, he walked in on an argument between Jim and Blair. “I have to go to the university tomorrow, Jim. I have lectures to give.”

“Someone else can do it!” Jim shouted as Bodie walked up to Ray and dropped their bags at his feet. 

“What’s going on here?”

“They’ve been arguing ever since you left about Blair going to the university tomorrow,” Ray sighed. “I tried to assure him that I would be there to protect Blair, but he just growled.”

Bodie nodded as he walked over to Jim and pulled him away from Blair. “I’ll go with them to the university tomorrow,” Bodie said as Jim looked at him.

“What?”

“You want Blair protected while you look for Barnes,” Bodie stated. “You don’t trust Ray to protect Blair. I’ll do it.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust Ray,” Jim said as he looked at Ray. “I don’t trust anyone right now. I can’t explain it. I can’t let him out of my sight but I can’t have him at the station either.”

Blair walked up to him. “I am a grown man, Jim. I can take care of myself. I don’t need my Blessed Protector following me everywhere I go. I will not hide from this woman. I will not let her take my life from me. She already did that. This is as much my fight as it is yours, probably more so. I’m the one she actually killed, remember.”

“Yes!” Jim said as he grabbed Blair’s arms. “I’m the one who pulled you out of the damn fountain. I’m the one who started CPR on you. I’m the one who wouldn’t give up when the paramedics said you were gone.”

“You were the one who took off to Peru while I was still in the hospital!” Blair said as he pulled away from Jim. “You’re the one who was practically tearing her clothes off on the beach!”

Blair stormed out to the balcony. Jim started to follow him. “You stay right where you are!” Ray said as he turned and held his hand up to Jim. “You stay away from my son.”

He left Bodie and Jim and followed Blair out to the balcony. “You didn’t tell me about the beach.”

“I shouldn’t have thrown that in his face,” Blair sighed as he looked out over the city. “He was acting on instinct.”

“You said he’s acting on instinct now,” Ray argued. “Who’s to say he won’t try to do that again.”

“We weren’t together then. Mates are very important to Sentinels. I’m his mate. He will do anything to protect me now.”

“But not then,” Ray said as he looked over his shoulder at Jim.

“Ray, I don’t blame him for what happened to me,” Blair said as he looked at his father. “I blame Alex. She thought I was going to get between her and Jim. And she was right. She might have known what we were mates even if we hadn’t admitted it to ourselves yet. Look, I know I’ve been studying Sentinels for most of my life but there are still things I don’t know.”

Ray just nodded. Blair turned and went back into the apartment followed by his father. He walked up to his lover and looked him in the eye. “I will not run from this woman, Jim. I will not let her take me away from you. Not again. I will go to the university tomorrow. Bodie can go with me or you can get Simon to assign Joel, Megan, Rafe, Brown, I don’t care. You concentrate on finding this bitch and putting her into the most secure prison you can find.”

Jim just nodded as Blair pulled him into an embrace. After they let each other go, Blair looked at Ray. “We were going to make dinner.”

“Let’s get started then,” Ray said as they went over to the kitchen. 

Blair started pulling stuff out. “Damn.”

“What is it?” Jim asked.

“I need basil.”

“We’ll go get it,” Bodie said as he touched Jim’s shoulder. “You’re out of beer anyway. We can go to the market down the street.”

“I don’t know,” Jim said as he looked over at Blair.

“Dial your hearing up,” Blair instructed. “You’ll be able to hear what’s going on here. You’re just going down the street.”

Jim nodded and followed Bodie out of the apartment. Once they were gone, Ray handed Blair the basil. Blair took a pad of paper and wrote, “It was the only way to get him out for a few minutes.”

Ray nodded and they worked on dinner.

Ten minutes later, they heard something out in the hallway. “Where does Jim keep his spare gun?” Ray asked.

“Upstairs,” Blair said as the door was kicked open and Alex Barnes strode in.

Blair stepped in front of Ray and walked toward Alex. “Alex, Jim will be here any minute.”

She looked at him and he could tell she was primal. She wasn’t going to be reasoned with. She rushed him. Ray tried to come between them but she knocked him out of the way. She grabbed Blair by the throat and tossed him onto the couch. Then she started chocking him. 

Ray knew he didn’t have time to get to Jim’s gun. He grabbed Alex and pulled her off of his son. He remembered his CI5 training and started fighting her. As they fought, he could feel his chest tighten but he knew he needed to protect his son. He heard the shot just before he collapsed.

“Dad!” Blair shouted as Alex crumpled to the floor with a bullet to the brain. 

Bodie stood at the door, gun in his hand as Jim rushed over to Blair and Ray. “Blair call 911,” Jim instructed. “Tell them we have a possible heart attack and to alert Captain Banks that his escaped fugitive has been secured.”

Blair hesitated for a split second before he grabbed the phone and dialed. Jim was tending to Ray. His medic training was kicking in and he was using his Sentinel abilities to assess Ray’s condition as well. The paramedics and Simon arrived at the same time. “What the hell happened here?” Simon asked as the medics got to Ray.

“Alex broke into the loft and attacked me,” Blair said as Bodie glared at him. “Dad tried to get her off of me. I don’t know who shot her. Then Dad collapsed.”

“He had a bloody heart attack because of you!” Bodie spat. “He wouldn't have been in this situation if you hadn’t sent me and Jim off on a spice run! We would have been here to take that bitch out as soon as she walked through the door.”

“Bodie,” Ray said from the stretcher. “It’s not his fault. I should have had a gun with me to begin with. Macklin would have my ass and so would the Cow.”

Bodie watched as they took Ray out and Blair followed. Then he looked at Simon. “I shot the bitch. She was trying to kill Ray and Blair. I did what I had to do. Can I leave?”

“You and Jim go with Blair to the hospital,” Simon said as Joel and Rafe came in. “I’ll come get statements later. Just make sure Ray and Blair are all right.”

Jim nodded and led Bodie out of the apartment. When they got to the hospital, Blair was in the waiting room. “They’ve got Ray in the treatment room now,” he said as he looked at Bodie. “They said it was a minor heart attack. They’re going to admit him but they think he’ll make a full recovery. Listen, I’m sorry about what happened tonight. I didn’t know she would show up at the loft. I just thought Jim and Dad needed to be separated before blood was shed.”

Bodie was about to say something but they brought Ray out of the treatment room. He rushed over to his lover. “What have I told you about leaving the rough stuff to me?”

Ray just gave him a smile. “I’m all right. Doctor says I should be out of here in a couple of days.”

Bodie nodded as the doctor looked at him. “You’re William Bodie?” he asked as Ray was wheeled past them.

“Yeah, just call me Bodie,” he said as he looked at the doctor. “How is he really?”

“He’s going to be fine,” the doctor assured. “He’s going to need a few weeks to fully recover. He says he has a cabin where he can recover. His son said he would call the university to have Mr. Doyle’s classes covered for him. I need you to make sure he takes his medication.”

“He’s going to hate that,” Bodie sighed.

“It’s just until he recovers from this incident. Once he follows up with his cardiologist, it will be determined if he has to continue to take medication or not. I don’t anticipate that being the case. His diet and exercise regime help keep his condition in check. His son explained that they were attacked. From what I can tell, as long as he keeps up his normal physical activities and doesn’t try fighting off crazed criminals, he should be all right. Like I said, his cardiologist will make a full assessment after he recovers.”

Bodie nodded and thanked the doctor before he let Jim and Blair lead him up to Ray’s room. He noticed Jim and Blair stand back and let him go in first. He walked in and saw Ray laying in the bed with his eyes closed. Part of him flashed back to when Ray had been shot. He tried to keep his thoughts from the bitch who had ultimately caused this to happen. If Ray hadn’t been shot wouldn’t be laying in this hospital bed now. 

Of course, if Ray hadn’t been shot he would have never left London. They would have become co-controllers of CI5 and he would have never found out about Blair. Bodie sighed. He would never take Ray’s son away from him. He knew how much Blair meant to Ray. He also knew that what happened tonight wasn’t Blair’s fault. Ray stirred as Bodie walked over to the bed. He opened his eyes and smiled at Bodie. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this, Sunshine,” Bodie said as Ray laughed.

“Give us a kiss.”

“With pleasure,” Bodie said as he leaned over and kissed the man who meant more to him than life itself. He had been afraid he was going to lose Ray tonight and that was unacceptable. He sat down in the chair beside the bed. “Nothing more than that until you’re cleared by at least 2 doctors.”

Ray just gave him a look. “No arguments,” Bodie said, determined to keep his voice from cracking. “You are to obey every doctor’s order from now on. And the next time a psychopath comes after anyone you love, you either arm yourself or you wrap yourself in wool, understood?”

“I had to protect Blair,” Ray said as he closed his eyes. “She was going to kill him, Bodie. She was chocking him right in front of me. I couldn’t let her kill my son when I could protect him.”

“And what would it have done to Blair if you had gotten yourself killed?” Bodie asked as the door opened behind him. “What would it have done to him to watch his father die of a fatal heart attack? If Jim and I hadn’t come in when we did, that’s what would have happened.”

“You don’t know that,” Ray said as he looked at Bodie.

“I do,” Blair said as he walked over to them. “You said the reason you came to Cascade in the first place was because the doctors in London told you that a stunt like that would cause you to have a heart attack. My life is not worth yours.”

“Yes it is,” Ray argued. “Blair, I’m your father. It is a father’s job to protect his son. Even if it costs the father his life.”

“I can’t live with that,” Blair said as tears started to fall from his eyes. “I can’t live with you sacrificing your life, everything you’ve built over the last 13 years and everything you have with Bodie because of me. I can’t.”

He rushed out of the room and past Jim. Jim looked at Ray. “I’ll talk to him.”

Ray just nodded as Bodie squeezed his hand.


	10. Chapter 10

Jim went after his lover. He found him outside beside the truck. “Take me home, Jim,” he said as Jim wrapped him in his arms. “I can’t go back in there. He was willing to die for me. I can’t…”

“You’ve never had anyone in your life willing to sacrifice themselves for you,” Jim said as he held Blair. “You’ve never had anyone love you that much. Naomi did her best, but I don’t think she would have done what Ray did tonight. She wouldn’t have attacked Alex knowing what it might cost her. He did. He grabbed her and fought her to save you. He did it knowing he might have a heart attack. He continued to fight her knowing he was having a heart attack. He loves you that much. And guess what, so do I. I would lay my life down for you Chief. If it came down to a choice of saving you or losing my life, I’d save you every time. So would Ray. So would Bodie for that matter. Ray loves you, Blair. He loves you with everything he has in him. He’s loved you ever since it was a possibility in his mind that you might be his son. Are you going to run out on him now?”

He felt Blair shake his head. He smiled as he kissed the top of Blair’s head. “Go to him. I’ll be up there in a minute. Simon just got here.”

He pulled away from Blair and wiped the tears from the younger man’s face. He kissed him. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Blair nodded and walked back into the hospital. Simon and Joel came up to Jim. “Is Ray all right?” Joel asked.

“He’s going to be fine,” Jim said as he looked at them. “Blair just realized he has a parent willing to die for him and it overwhelmed him.”

Simon and Joel exchanged a look. They promised themselves they would keep all opinions of Naomi Sandburg to themselves.

Blair opened the door to Ray’s room. As he slowly walked in, Bodie got up. He went over to the younger man and directed him to the chair. “You to talk. I’m going to go see if they have any decent tea in this place.”

He winked at Ray as he left father and son alone. “I’m sorry I ran out,” Blair said.

Ray reached out his hand and Blair took it. “You know I would do anything for you, Blair.”

Blair just nodded. “It’s just…”

“It’s just you haven’t had someone willing to lay their life on the line for you before?” Ray asked.

“No, Jim has been willing to do that before,” Blair said as he looked away.

“But not a parent,” Ray concluded. “Blair, I’m your father. Fathers are supposed to be willing to lay their lives on the line for their children. And to be quite honest with you, I would do it again if it meant you were safe in the end.”

Blair’s head shot up. “No, you can’t do that. I can’t lose you. I just found you.”

“You’re not going to lose me,” Ray smiled. “Not any time soon. You and Bodie have given me a reason to live that I wasn’t sure I had any more. Yes, I loved my life here and you were part of it, but until we actually confirmed that you were mine, I felt like there was a hole in my soul. Then we found out you were my son and Bodie showed up and all the holes filled. This setback is not going to keep me from either one of you. You and Bodie are always my first priority.”

Blair nodded. “I love you Dad.”

Ray smiled. “I love you too.”

 

Ray was released from the hospital a few days later. Bodie drove him straight to the cabin. Jim and Blair were waiting for them. Blair ushered Ray straight to the couch and Bodie made sure his pillows were fluffed. Ray looked at Jim. “Can you do something with these two? They’re going to drive me mental and I’ve only been home five minutes.”

Jim just laughed and looked at Blair and Bodie. “You two are going on a supply run. Ray and I will be fine until you get back.”

He pulled a paper out of his back pocket and handed it to Blair. “Here’s a list. Don’t come back until every item has been purchased. Go, both of you.”

He stood with his arms crossed until Blair sighed and pulled Bodie’s arm. They left and Jim laughed. “That’ will keep them busy for a while.”

“Thanks,” Ray grinned.

 

The TA that took over Ray’s classes sent progress reports with Blair as well as papers to grade. Ray was glad that they had someone he could trust taking over his classes. Once he got the all clear from his doctors, he went back to work. Bodie went with him to make sure that the doctor cleared him for all physical activity before they made love again.  
Everything was fine until Naomi showed up again just as Blair finished writing his dissertation. She read it without his permission. Then she sent it to a publisher friend of hers. She never consulted Blair. When the entire thing exploded in his face, she claimed she was doing it for his own good. Ray stood watching Blair discredit his entire life’s work during his press conference. Then he watched as the dean demanded he clear out his office.

He went straight to his dean and quit. He said if they didn’t want his academically tarnished son on their staff, they couldn’t have him either. After all, he wasn’t even a PhD. Then he went to the loft where he knew Naomi was waiting for Blair to come crawling to her. He slammed the door when he entered. “What has Blair ever done to you that you punished him like this?” he asked as he got in his ex-lover’s face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Naomi said as she backed up a little. “I was just trying to help Blair.”

“Just trying to help him?” Ray laughed. “You sent his dissertation to a publisher against his express wishes. You forced him to discredit his own work to protect Jim. You forced him to say he’s an academic fraud. What kind of mother does that?”

“What kind of father shows up after nearly 30 years and decides he wants to be father of the year?” she said as she got in Ray’s face. “You show up and all of a sudden you and Blair are best buddies. You took my son from me. You forced me to do everything I could to bring him back to me. You and Jim and these so called friends of his forced me to do this.”

Ray just shook his head. “You’re unbelievable. You did this because for once in his life, Blair has a stable environment where he has people who love and care about him. You did this because you are jealous that there are people in his life that he cares about just as much, if not more, than you.”

“Is that true, Naomi?” Blair said as they both turned to their son. Neither of them had heard him come in.

“Blair, Sweetie,” she said as she walked over to him.

“You see this box, Naomi,” he said as he indicated the box he was holding. “This is the stuff from my office at the university. I’ve got a couple more in the car. Everything I have worked on since I was 16 packed in a few boxes and labeled an academic fraud. Everything I have dreamed about accomplishing in my life, up in smoke. I had to give a press conference to discredit my work because you submitted it without my permission. You didn’t give me a chance to take Jim’s name out of it. You read it. You knew what kind of impact it would have on Jim’s life if it was published or if the public got a hold of it. You didn’t care. He is my soul mate, Naomi. He is the man I love more than life itself. You forced me to discredit my work to protect him.”

“Baby, I did it because he is a bad influence on you,” she said as she took his hands. “He and Ray and that Bodie character are bad for your spirit. They are taking you down roads you should never travel. They have exposed you to violence and…”

“And love,” Blair said as he pulled away from her. “They have exposed me to unconditional love. Ray nearly died to protect me not that long ago. Would you do that?”

“I wouldn’t have to because your life wouldn’t be in danger if you were with me,” she argued. 

“That’s not true and you know it,” he laughed. “You know full well some of your boyfriends put us in dangerous situations. The only reason you left Bob was because he started beating you. He’d been beating me since the day we moved in with him. When I told you that, you just laughed and said I needed to learn respect. I knew the only way to protect myself was to make sure none of your boyfriends could hurt me again. I studied as hard as I could and I got into Rainer at sixteen. You tried to talk me out of leaving. You said I wasn’t ready for college. You just didn’t want me to leave you alone. You only kept me because you didn’t want to be alone. I heard you say that to your brother when he offered to let him stay on his ranch. You’re scared of being alone but you ditched me every chance you got.”

He sighed and looked at her. “Do you love me, Mom?”

“Of course I do,” she said tried to touch his cheek. He pulled away from her. “You don’t believe me?”

“You say it, but I don’t think you mean it. Can you accept my relationship with Jim?”

“He’s the wrong man for you, sweetie. His job is more important to him than you are. If he loved you he would be here right now.”

“He’s not here because Simon was shot,” Blair clarified. “He’s not here because he is seeing if his boss, his friend, my friend, is going to be all right.”

“Why wasn’t he at his press conference?”

“I didn’t tell him about it,” Blair admitted. “I knew he would try to talk me out of it. He didn’t want me to sacrifice my career for him. I knew I had to in order to protect him. He wasn’t willing to let me do that, so I didn’t tell him. Unconditional love, Naomi. I have another question. Can you accept my relationship with Ray?”

“He doesn’t deserve you,” Naomi said as she glanced back at Ray. “He used me…”

“He told you that he didn’t want to hurt you,” Blair interrupted. “He told you he tried to protect you from what was happening in that drug raid. You were the one who wouldn’t hear him out. You were also the one who chose to keep me from him.”

“He doesn’t deserve you!” she shouted. “I raised you! I’m the only parent you ever knew.”

“Because you kept me from him!” Blair said then he took a breath. “Listen, we’re never going to get anywhere like this. So I’m going to put this as plainly as I can. I love Jim. We are going to be together for the rest of our lives. We might get married, I don’t know yet. I love Ray. He’s my dad. He loves me with everything he has in him and he is willing to put his life in danger to protect me. I love you. You’re my mother. I may not agree with some of the choices you have made but I love you. You need to decide if you can share me with Jim and Ray, and yes, Bodie. He’s my step-father for all intents and purposes. My relationships with them do not change my relationship with you. The only thing that is putting our relationship in jeopardy is you. What you did with my dissertation was foolish, but if you realize what you did was wrong and why it was wrong, then we can move on. I don’t know what I’m going to do now. I have to go to the police station and clear out my desk there. You think about what you want to happen between us. I’ll see you when I get back.”

“I’ll go with you,” Ray said as he followed his son out of the apartment.

They arrived at the station and Blair went over to the desk he had been given. He put a box on top of it and slowly started putting his things in it. He saw Rafe, Megan and Brown watching him but he didn’t say anything to them. When he got everything in the box, he looked up at them. “I’m sorry you all had to deal with the fallout from my dissertation. I told Naomi it wasn’t ready for a publisher, but she didn’t listen to me.”

“Blair, we just wanted to know why you and Jim didn’t trust us with your secret,” Rafe said as they walked over to him and Ray. “We knew there was a reason he could see and hear and feel things that we couldn’t. He solves cases, that’s all that matters. And you bring heart into this bullpen. We don’t want you to leave.”

“The brass might have different ideas,” Blair sighed as Joel and Bodie came in followed by Simon, whose wheelchair was being pushed by Jim. Blair smiled at the captain. “I’m glad you’re all right, sir.”

“Sandburg, what are you doing?” Simon asked as he saw the box on the desk.

“Packing my things,” Blair said as he gave Jim a confused look. “I thought my consultant status had been revoked.”

“That’s true sir,” Jim said as he tried to hide his grin. “Of course his new status is still intact.”

“Yes, it is,” Simon said as he pulled a cigar out of his shirt pocket and stuck it in his mouth.

“What new status?” Blair asked as he looked at Ray. His father shrugged. He looked over at his lover. “Jim?”

“You’re going to be a detective, Chief,” Jim said as he tossed Blair a badge.

“What?” Blair asked surprised.

“I told the Chief that you were a valuable asset to my squad,” Simon said as he looked at the younger man. “You’ll have to take a few training courses at the Academy but the job is yours if you want it.”

“Seriously?” Blair asked as Jim came around and put his arm around Blair’s shoulders. 

“Seriously,” Jim said as he teased Blair about cutting his hair.

“No!” came the shout from behind Bodie and Joel. They parted as Naomi walked in. “No,” she said again as she came up and snatched the detective’s badge out of her son’s hand.  
“Naomi, what are you doing?” Blair asked as he took the badge back. “They’re offering me a job that I was just about to accept.”

“You can’t,” she pleaded. “You can’t become a cop. Not after everything I did to get you away from them.”

“So you did do it on purpose,” Bodie growled.

“Of course I did,” she snapped at him. “I had to protect him from you and Ray and Jim and all these other pigs. My son was never meant to be a cop.”

“Naomi, I’m taking the job,” Blair said as he put his hands on her shoulders. “You have to decide if you can accept this or not.”

“But you’re not a US citizen,” she pleaded. “You were born in London. I lied on your birth certificate.”

“Naomi, you’re lying,” Jim said as he looked her in the eye. “You’re just desperate to keep him your little boy.”

“I’m not lying!”

He nodded and looked at her. “Okay. Say you’re telling the truth. Blair was born in London. You lied on his birth certificate and said he was born in Portland. You got him a US passport based on his birth certificate. If you did all of that, you now run this risk of him being deported for being in this country illegally. Now we all know that I can tell if you’re lying or not. Do you really want to say he was born in London?”

She slumped her shoulders, defeated. “No. No I don’t.”

Blair grabbed her arm and led her into Simon’s office. He closed the door and looked at her. “Are you going to be able to accept this? Because I am taking this job. I’m staying with Jim. I’m going to continue to have a relationship with Ray and with Bodie. What you did was selfish, Naomi and it backfired. I didn’t come crawling back to you and I won’t. If you can’t accept the people in my life and the direction that my life is now taking, walk out that door and don’t come back.”

Naomi stared at him for a long time. Then she straightened her dress, pulled her purse back up onto her shoulder, turned and walked out of Simon’s office. She walked past Jim and Ray and got on the elevator. She turned to see her son watch her just as the doors shut. “Blair,” Ray started.

“It’s okay,” he smiled. “She made her choice. And I have made mine. I accept your offer Captain. And we’ll talk about the hair cut.”

Simon just nodded. 

The next month, Blair did cut his hair as he started classes at the academy. Jim offered Ray the store space in the building for an art studio. Ray took advantage of it and opened a studio and school. Neither Blair nor Ray regretted the decisions they made in the wake of the dissertation fiasco and they started new lives with the men they loved the most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a sequel developing in my brain. As soon as I get it down on paper, I will post it. Watch this space and also pay attention to the tags and warnings on my other stories. I'm not saying what will be in the sequel yet but I think people should be prepared for just about anything.
> 
> Also I don't know what it is about me and making Naomi a complete bitch lately. I normally like her but this story led her in this direction.


End file.
